Charlotte Checkers 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3 OT

Jan. 7, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Landon Ferraro’s goal 1:18 into overtime on Wednesday gave the Grand Rapids Griffins a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers at Van Andel Arena.

Ferraro, who also tallied the late game-winner in Friday’s 4-2 come-from-behind win over Milwaukee, beat his man at the blue line in front of the Grand Rapids bench, darted toward the net and lifted a shot into the near corner to push the Griffins’ point streak to five games (4-0-0-1) and move them into a tie with Chicago for second place in the Midwest Division.

Meanwhile, Teemu Pulkkinen extended his remarkable goal streak to eight games during the second period, equaling the nine-year-old franchise standard set by Donald MacLean in the course of his AHL MVP campaign of 2005-06. It’s the longest goal streak in the AHL since former Checker Drayson Bowman lit the lamp in eight straight games early in the 2012-13 season.

The Griffins, now 8-1-1-1 in their last 11 at home, 6-1-0-1 in their last eight overall and 15-5-2-1 since Nov. 12, will host a rematch with the Checkers on Friday at 7 p.m.

Charlotte goalie Drew MacIntyre, who served a two-year stint between the Griffins’ pipes a decade ago (2004-06), yielded a power play goal to his former club with 5:03 remaining in the first period. Ryan Sproul fired a shot from the point that MacIntyre denied, but Nathan Paetsch was waiting in the slot to clean up the rebound for his fourth goal of the season, tops among Grand Rapids’ blueliners.

Michigan native and NHL veteran Chad LaRose tied the score with a power play tally 38 ticks into the second period, one-timing a feed from Alex Aleardi past Tom McCollum from the left hashmarks.

Minutes later – and moments after the Griffins were unable to get a shot off during a 2-on-0 rush off a bad Charlotte line change – the Checkers (12-18-4-1) seized a 2-1 lead when Aleardi converted a backdoor pass from Patrick Brown at the right post. That goal at 5:09 prompted Griffins coach Jeff Blashill to take his timeout.

Pulkkinen registered his record-tying goal during another power play less than three minutes later, ripping a shot into the far corner of MacIntyre’s net from the bottom of the left circle at 8:03. His 20 goals in 33 games put him two goals ahead of the pace from MacLean’s franchise-record 56-goal season.

The score remained 2-2 into the waning minutes of regulation, when MacIntyre interfered with Tomas Nosek behind the net to put the Griffins (18-11-3-1) on another power play for the final 1:34 of the third. But Charlotte held Grand Rapids in check, including during the 26 seconds that extended into overtime, before Ferraro donned the hero’s cape for a second straight game.

McCollum earned his fourth consecutive win behind 25 saves, while MacIntyre turned aside 27 shots in defeat.

Note: With the third overtime goal of his career, Ferraro tied Kevin Miller for second place on the Griffins’ all-time list, just one behind Jiri Hudler.

Three Stars: 1. GR Ferraro (overtime goal); 2. GR Pulkkinen (power play goal); 3. GR Andy Miele (two assists)

Charlotte Checkers 2 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 3 OT

Jan. 7, 2015

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Landon Ferraro’s goal 1:18 into overtime on Wednesday gave the Grand Rapids Griffins a 3-2 victory over the Charlotte Checkers at Van Andel Arena.

Ferraro, who also tallied the late game-winner in Friday’s 4-2 come-from-behind win over Milwaukee, beat his man at the blue line in front of the Grand Rapids bench, darted toward the net and lifted a shot into the near corner to push the Griffins’ point streak to five games (4-0-0-1) and move them into a tie with Chicago for second place in the Midwest Division.

Meanwhile, Teemu Pulkkinen extended his remarkable goal streak to eight games during the second period, equaling the nine-year-old franchise standard set by Donald MacLean in the course of his AHL MVP campaign of 2005-06. It’s the longest goal streak in the AHL since former Checker Drayson Bowman lit the lamp in eight straight games early in the 2012-13 season.

The Griffins, now 8-1-1-1 in their last 11 at home, 6-1-0-1 in their last eight overall and 15-5-2-1 since Nov. 12, will host a rematch with the Checkers on Friday at 7 p.m.

Charlotte goalie Drew MacIntyre, who served a two-year stint between the Griffins’ pipes a decade ago (2004-06), yielded a power play goal to his former club with 5:03 remaining in the first period. Ryan Sproul fired a shot from the point that MacIntyre denied, but Nathan Paetsch was waiting in the slot to clean up the rebound for his fourth goal of the season, tops among Grand Rapids’ blueliners.

Michigan native and NHL veteran Chad LaRose tied the score with a power play tally 38 ticks into the second period, one-timing a feed from Alex Aleardi past Tom McCollum from the left hashmarks.

Minutes later – and moments after the Griffins were unable to get a shot off during a 2-on-0 rush off a bad Charlotte line change – the Checkers (12-18-4-1) seized a 2-1 lead when Aleardi converted a backdoor pass from Patrick Brown at the right post. That goal at 5:09 prompted Griffins coach Jeff Blashill to take his timeout.

Pulkkinen registered his record-tying goal during another power play less than three minutes later, ripping a shot into the far corner of MacIntyre’s net from the bottom of the left circle at 8:03. His 20 goals in 33 games put him two goals ahead of the pace from MacLean’s franchise-record 56-goal season.

The score remained 2-2 into the waning minutes of regulation, when MacIntyre interfered with Tomas Nosek behind the net to put the Griffins (18-11-3-1) on another power play for the final 1:34 of the third. But Charlotte held Grand Rapids in check, including during the 26 seconds that extended into overtime, before Ferraro donned the hero’s cape for a second straight game.

McCollum earned his fourth consecutive win behind 25 saves, while MacIntyre turned aside 27 shots in defeat.

Note: With the third overtime goal of his career, Ferraro tied Kevin Miller for second place on the Griffins’ all-time list, just one behind Jiri Hudler.

Three Stars: 1. GR Ferraro (overtime goal); 2. GR Pulkkinen (power play goal); 3. GR Andy Miele (two assists)